This invention relates generally to the field of devices for detecting the presence of an occupant present in an motor vehicle passenger compartment, and more particularly, the detection of a dangerously high temperature, controlled by logical conditions to activate an audible alarm.
Occupancy sensors are known, and vary in many varieties and varying complexity, such as within the confines of motor vehicles.
An occupancy sensor that is typical of the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,116 This prior art occupancy sensor consists of an apparatus which detects electromagnetic radiation above the seat, and a processor determines the presence of an occupying item, based on the detected electromagnetic radiation and is distinguished between different occupying items to thereby obtain information about the occupancy of the seat. An apparatus for controlling a deployable occupant restraint device in a vehicle to protect the occupant in the seat of the vehicle during a crash includes the evaluating apparatus and the processor further affects the deployment of the occupant restraint device based on the determined presence or absence of an occupying item and the information obtained by the occupancy of the seat.
Another occupancy sensor that is typical of the prior art is a seat switch and a seatbelt switch requiring a lesser degree of complexity.
Yet another occupancy sensor is an audio pickup and an amplifier that would turn on to amplify a baby""s cries or children""s sounds to an outside speaker to bring attention to the motor vehicle, acting as an alarm.
The primary object of the invention is To use the controlled output of an occupancy sensor like or similar to those previously described, together with a temperature element to activate an audible alarm. When an occupant is detected by the occupancy sensor and a dangerously high temperature exists in the passenger compartment (may include the trunk area) of the motor vehicle an audible alarm is activated.
Another object of the invention is To provide a method to energize the occupancy sensor(s) for a period of time, only long enough to determine the absence or presence of an occupant and then enter a xe2x80x9csleep modexe2x80x9d and shut down the occupancy sensor(s) to conserve power when the motor vehicle is not in use.
Another object of the invention is To provide a method to re-energize the occupancy sensors after the xe2x80x9csleep modexe2x80x9d has turned them off with the operation of a door switch.
A further object of the invention is To provide a period of time, when the vehicle is not in use, for the occupancy sensors to power up, warm up, and stabilize their output(s) before these output(s) can activate an alarm.
Yet another object of the invention is To provide logic allowing the occupancy sensor(s) power to be connected and controlled at a single electrical termination whether the vehicle is in or is not in use.
Still yet another object of the invention is To provide an alarm reset sequence, whereby only a key holder for the vehicle can reset the alarm once an alarm condition is activated.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
A machine for combining the output of an occupancy sensor and a temperature sensing element comprising: a logical network of timers, switches, relays and interconnections by methods of relay logic, ladder logic, Boolean logic operators, software algorithms, or a combination of any or all of the above mentioned methods, to produce a reliable activation of an audible alarm. If an occupant is detected in a motor vehicle""s passenger compartment when the vehicle is not in use, and a dangerously high temperature exists in the passenger compartment, an audible alarm is activated.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.